Face mapping: What your skin is trying to tell you

It's one thing to break out all the time when you're a teenager, but when you grow out of that phase and become a young adult, persistent acne can be baffling — not to mention extremely embarrassing. Where does it come from? How do you make it stop? When even the most thorough cleansing routine won't work to clear your face up, it might be time to look within yourself as opposed to your reflection.

A well-respected holistic medicine concept is that of face mapping: The idea that every part of your face is connected to an organ in your body, whose potential malfunction or mistreatment may be affecting the quality of your skin. Live Love Fruit describes face mapping as a cross between Chinese medicine and ayurveda, alternative medicine of Indian origin. 

"Face mapping is the ability to see the reflection of the body's organs on each part of the face by observing the face's complexion — such as luster, dullness, and color — as well as the tongue and face expression," explains Chapman Lee, Chinese scholar and skin care professional, according to Refinery29. Here are a few examples of what your breakouts could mean depending on where they are located.

One of the likeliest spots to keep producing acne after puberty, the upper cheeks are also, coincidentally, the worst region for it because there is literally nowhere to hide. The nasolabial folds — also called smile lines — suffer from the same problem, and the symptoms are not that different between the two areas: While the cheekbones are connected to your stomach, the nasolabial folds are linked to your large intestine. Live Love Fruit recommends watching your diet, getting a better intake of greens and fiber, hydrating properly and keeping an eye on foods you have trouble digesting, like dairy.

The lower halves of your cheeks near the jaw are, according to Live Love Fruit, representative of your lung condition. Heavy smokers may have more issues with acne in those spots. It's also a good idea to consider getting rid of harmful chemical products such as cleaners.

The skin on your forehead and nasal bridge can become the symptom of a number of different issues, practitioners suggest. Healthy and Natural Lifestyle mentions the heart, liver, small intestine, and bladder as potential organs that your body could be having trouble with. Try these general remedies: Eat less processed and fatty foods, limit alcohol and tobacco intake, and drink more water instead.

While the rest of the face is connected to body parts, your chin has more to do with hormonal imbalances, Live Love Fruit says. Menstrual cycles can be a factor there, especially when combined with stress. While there is no way around the former, the latter can definitely be reduced by making sure you get a good night's sleep and exercising regularly — a practice which can also help with a lot of the T-zone-related issues.

Did you know about these? Make sure to share this information with your friends and family — although be careful not to embarrass them on social media!